


Brown Eyed Girl

by wowiepanzeeee



Series: Reddie Family Adventures [1]
Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Adoption, Eddie's Alive!, Established Relationship, Fatherhood, Fluff, Fluffy, Husbands, Light Panic Attack, M/M, Married Life, Reddie, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Doubt, daughter - Freeform, parenting, pennywise still happened
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:47:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22206589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wowiepanzeeee/pseuds/wowiepanzeeee
Summary: Eddie bit the inside of his cheek. "Imagine being parents?"Richie gave a small nod in return. "Imagine being parents."Richie and Eddie Tozier face something even scarier than a demon clown: Parenthood.
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak & Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Series: Reddie Family Adventures [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1573975
Comments: 9
Kudos: 63





	1. Can You Imagine?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie and Eddie are not sure if they can imagine it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for pressing on this fic!
> 
> I really like Reddie family fanfics so I've made my own series about them adopting and raising two girls.
> 
> If you like this fic, maybe check out the rest of the series! No need to read them in order.
> 
> Again, thank you!
> 
> Title is based on the song Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison.

Richie scrolled down his Twitter feed, chuckling at various posts and occasionally showing them to an unimpressed Eddie Tozier who thumbed through a home decor magazine. Their new apartment was cozy, but empty, and Eddie wanted to make sure not a spot in the house went unused.

Richie curled up against Eddie who responded by wrapping his arm around his husband and pulling him closer. He smiled lovingly at the grown man who constantly went out of his way to attach himself to Eddie. Of course, Eddie didn't mind one bit. They both wanted to hold, and be held by, each other until the end of time.

However, Eddie quickly realized how difficult it was to turn the pages of a magazine with one arm occupied. He put it down and reached for his phone instead. It was in his back pocket so he had to fumble around to reach.

"Eeeeeeds, I can't see my screen when you're moving around," Richie whined.

"Just wait, dumbass. I'm just trying to get my phone." He scrounged around a bit more. "Ah, there." Finally, he settled back into the soft couch, letting Richie readjust beside him.

Eddie fell into the same rhythm as Richie; scrolling then stopping then scrolling more. He looked through some recommended boards on Pinterest and added a few ideas to his 'home decor' list. Richie had given him so much shit for using Pinterest:

_"It's for middle aged women who are upset her children decided to move out of state for college so she makes collages of the kids' baby photos to forget that they ditched her."_

_"It's for 30 something year old women who know her husband is cheating on her but she pretends nothing's wrong and fills her void of sadness with popcicle stick crafts."_

_"It's for women who call pyramid schemes, 'Multi-Level Marketing.'"_

_"It's for Myra Kaspbrak."_

Based on the people Eddie had seen on the website, he somewhat agreed but enjoyed browsing it nonetheless. 

Richie stopped scrolling and turned his phone sideways to watch a video. It was about a family who cosplays together at anime conventions. "Pft, can you imagine if we had _kids_?" Richie scoffed as he closed the video and continued scrolling, not paying attention to what came out his mouth. 

Confused by the strange, unexpected question, Eddie paused. "I can't imagine." He looked away from Pinterest to his husband. "Can _you_ imagine?"

"I can't." Richie stopped and scrunched up his face, suddenly realizing what they were talking about. "Can I imagine?" He slowly looked up at Eddie. "Can I?"

Eddie stared back at him, just as confused. His eyes scanned Richie's worried face for answers. "I-I don't know, can you?"

"Well...can _you_?"

"Can I _what_?"

Richie scratched uncomfortably at his prickly chin. "Imagine that."

"Imagine what?" At this point, Eddie was purposely teasing.

"I-Imagine," Richie's brain was screaming at him, telling him to stop, but he had always been bad at holding in his thoughts, "being parents."

Eddie furrowed his eyebrows and gulped, thinking hard. "Can I imagine us being parents?" He concentrated on his hand where Richie had latched their pinkie fingers together. He could feel his heart rate speeding up and wished he had his placebo inhaler. "I-I can't, can you?"

"I don't think I can." Richie held in his breath as he stared deadpan at their hands.

"Me neither." 

Richie and Eddie sat in silence, playing awkwardly with each other's hands. Both their hearts raced as they tried to predict what the other would say next.

Richie eventually broke the silence by clearing his throat. "So, we both can't imagine it?"

Eddie bit the inside of his cheek. "Imagine being parents?"

Richie gave a small nod in return. "Imagine being parents."

Once again, they sat in silence. Eddie gently rested his cheek in his husband's curly hair and closed his eyes. He lowered his voice to a whisper,

"I can."

Richie took a deep breath, tightening his grip on Eddie's hand. 

"I can, too."

\---

_*Ring ring*_

"Rich, can you get it?" Eddie yelled from the kitchen, his hands covered in dish soap.

They had spent months with a caseworker who helped lead them through the long and arduous adoption process. All they could do now was wait and see if any children's caseworkers were interested in meeting with the husbands. 

Richie scrounged through Eddie's 'man-bag' searching for his cell phone. He found it and immediately looked at the screen to see who was calling.

**Lawrence (Larry) - Caseworker <3**

Richie froze as he stared wide-eyed at the screen.

"Who is it?"

Richie managed to sputter out, "L-Larry!" 

The house was silent until Eddie came barreling from the kitchen, nearly slipping on the hardwood with his socks. His eyes were wide, looking shocked, as he slid next to Richie. He grabbed Richie's arm and tugged impatiently. "ANSWER IT!"

"I AM! JUST..." Richie took a deep breath and hovered his finger over the green circle. Both men had stopped breathing. 

Richie cleared his throat then tapped the screen.

"Hello?"

\---

Eddie rested his head and whispered into the car dashboard. "Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Je-" 

Richie was uncharacteristically silent as he stared forward at the brick building, placing his hands between his legs to try and stop them from shaking. 

"Jesus, let's just..." Eddie lifted himself and sat back in his seat. He took a deep breath and ran his hand over his gelled hair before turning to his husband. His face sunk when he saw the panic on Richie's face. "Hey, hey..." Leaning over the middle console, he placed his hand on Richie's cheek and turned his head towards him. "Rich..." Richie avoided eye contact. Eddie cupped his face. "Rich, look at me." Richie refused to listen, instead focusing on a water bottle in the cupholder. Eddie had to get the situation under control. "Richard motherfucking Tozier! Look at me right now!" 

Richie nearly jumped as his husband raised his voice. He finally listened and peeked at Eddie's large brown eyes. They stared at each other as Eddie continued holding Richie's face, gently rubbing his thumb on his cheek. 

"Eds..." Richie croaked out.

"Yeah?"

Richie tried to hold back, but his body betrayed him as tears began to fall. 

"Rich..." Eddie leaned in and placed a kiss on Richie's forehead. "Hey, hey. It's okay..."

"Eds, I..." Richie gulped. "I can't do this. I'm...I'm a disaster of a p-person and I'll ruin th-this kids li-"

"Rich, stop." Eddie squeezed Richie's cheeks together to shut his mouth. "Listen to me." He determinedly scrunched his own face and stared into Richie's soul. "You are going to be the best. Fucking. Dad. on Earth."

Richie sniffled. "But-"

"Nope. No." Eddie pushed some of Richie's stray hairs into place. "There is NOTHING you and I cannot do." He wiped away a stray tear. "We are Richie and Eddie Tozier and we're going to be the greatest parents on Earth."

Richie was about to interject again, but staring into Eddie's eyes, he felt himself start to calm down. 

"Rich, we defeated a fucking evil clown. We can do anything." 

A grin grew on Richie's face. "Super dads."

Eddie let out a laugh with a snort, relieved his husband seemed to be doing better. "Super dads."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! It really means a lot! 
> 
> Twitter is @tegiebear and it sucks!


	2. It's Happening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Any minute now...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You read chapter 1 and decided to keep going!! THANK YOU!!
> 
> THIS IS SO SHORT but i like the dramatic pause a new chapter brings lol
> 
> Thank you for reading!

Richie Tozier had been nervous many times in his life. He was nervous before every one of his shows!

But this was something more than nervous. Something bursting out his chest. Something climbing out his throat.

Eddie Tozier had grown up with anxiety. He knew the feeling of panic and mania.

But this was something more than panic. Something crawling in his stomach. Something scrambling his brain.

They were going to be fathers.

The Toziers sat in separate chairs, but still squeezed each others hand. Their caseworker, Lawrence, sat at a desk across from them filling out paperwork.

Any minute now, their daughter would come through the door.

Their daughter.

_Their daughter._

Eddie could feel how clammy Richie's hand was. Or was it his own? Maybe both?

"We're going to raise a daughter," Richie stated, not quite believing what was leaving his mouth.

This didn't feel real.

Eddie looked to his husband and gave his hand a squeeze, prompting Richie to snap out of his thoughts. "If we're nervous, imagine how nervous the little girl must be."

Richie closed his eyes for a moment and put himself in place of the child. She would be going home with two people she'd never met. She would be leaving a foster family, which is (no matter how shitty) the closest thing to a family she has.

Lawrence's phone vibrated and he quickly peeked. He nodded his head and looked at the couple, making sure to give a reassuring smile. "They're here."

Richie choked on air as the words hit him, and Eddie began gently rubbing his hand with his thumb. Well, he was trying to be gentle, but it was more like scratching his hand instead of rubbing. "Remember what we do."

"Y-Yeah, I remember."

They had rehearsed this many times. Lower to child's height when greeting them. Introduce with first names. Compliment her. Make sure to smile (but not too big or it will look creepy; especially when Eddie does it.)

An arrival beep from the elevator traveled down the hall and nearly gave the husbands a heart attack.

It was happening.

"Eddie?"

Eddie turned and locked eyes with Richie. Seeing his husband, who looked neat and put together for today's event, he couldn't help but give a gentle smile.

My husband is the most beautiful person on Earth.

"Yeah, Rich?"

Richie took a breath through his nose and closed his eyes momentarily before looking at his husband. It was Edward Kaspbrask, or rather, Edward Tozier; Richie's childhood crush. They were holding hands, about to meet their daughter.

He imagined the look on young Richie's face if he was told what his future would bring.

"I love you so much."

Eddie grinned and it showed off his dimples; one of Richie's weaknesses. "You're already an old sap." A soft blush settled over his cheeks. "I love you too."

They squeezed each others hands reassuringly. Everything would be alright, as long as they were together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You are literally my best friend for reading this.
> 
> Thank you <3
> 
> Twitter is @tegiebear and I just posted about custom M&Ms with Luigi's face on them.


	3. Toto? You Mean...The Band That Sings "Africa"?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's her.
> 
> It's really her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a label in my underwear that says the brand, 'Riches,' but I thought it said 'Richie' and I was shocked.
> 
> Since you read this far, I'll give you a gold star.

As the elevator stopped at the fifth floor, Noelle squeezed her stuffed bunny tighter.

She was terrified.

_Will be mean._

_Will hurt me._

She felt tears forming in her eyes, but tried to stay strong.

_Don't want crybaby._

Her caseworker, Michelle, looked down at the small girl who refused to hold her hand. "Noelle?"

Noelle continued staring forward, ignoring the woman.

Michelle cleared her throat, slightly frustrated, but understanding Noelle's feelings. This little girl rarely was shown love.

\----

Michelle had spent months screening families she thought would be a good fit.

She made sure there were no other children so Noelle could have their full attention.

She made sure the home inspection was perfect, with plenty of room to be herself.

She made sure the new environment would be safe enough for an almost three-year-old.

She made sure Noelle's new family was open-minded and would raise her right.

And most importantly, she made sure her new family would love her until the end of time.

The Tozier's weren't perfect. In fact, she immediately put them in the 'DENIED' pile when she first saw their file. Richie Tozier was a stand up comedian who she had seen controversy about in the past. His homophobic and rude jokes disgusted her.

It wasn't until she ran across one of his new specials. The disrespectful jokes had stopped, and he had come out as gay, apologizing for the disgusting humor he hid behind. He even made a point that if people still found those jokes funny, he didn't want them as a fan.

He told hilarious stories about his eccentric, but caring husband who changed him for the better and showed him how to love himself. He revealed embarrassing stories from when he was younger and growing up closeted. His charisma pulled Michelle in and she couldn't stop watching. In fact, some of his stories had made her cry.

She dug through her rejected files and pulled out the Toziers, and proceeded to give them another look.

Richie's husband Edward, or Eddie, had previously resided in New York and had been married to a woman for countless years. It wasn't until he reunited with his childhood friend, Richie, that he realized something was wrong.

Richie had constantly joked in his shows about power sockets being covered and cleanliness being of utmost importance to his husband. He was the neat yin to Richie's unorganized yang.

Another thing Edward was was impulsive.

After divorcing his wife, he flew to LA and showed up on Richie's doorstep, promptly admitting his love for his childhood friend.

They were engaged two months later.

These men were weird and strange, but had love to give.

She contacted their case worker and set up a meeting.

\---

"I promise your family will make you the happiest girl ever."

No response came from Noelle as she stayed stone-faced.

\---

The sound of the door handle scared Richie and Eddie more than any clown ever could. Their gazes shot in the direction of the door.

They watched as a tall brunette woman took a step inside and held open the door for a much smaller brunette.

Richie and Eddie forgot how to breathe.

It was their daughter.

The young girl had dark skin with curly hair that flew in every direction. Her pink tee shirt was covered in ballerinas prancing to and fro. It went well with her pink ballet flats.

She stared at the ground, digging her messily painted purple fingernails into a stuffed bunny she held against her chest.

Richie and Eddie both stood up, heads empty and full at the same time, wobbled over to shake hands with the girl's caseworker.

The woman shook hands with Richie. "You must be Richard and Edward Tozier." _Of course you are. I've seen all of your stand-ups._ Honestly, she was slightly fangirling.

Richie gulped and took a deep breath. The last thing he needed was to pass out and terrify the girl. "Y-You can call me Richie." He moved aside to let Eddie shake hands. "And this is my husband, Eddie."

Eddie was struggling to keep his nerves under control. "H-Hi."

Michelle smiled. She knew how terrified first time parents were in these situations. She gently placed her hand on Noelle's back. "This is Noelle. She's a little shy."

_Kneel to her level._

Richie was the first to go to her eye level. He was immediately taken aback by her large brown eyes. They reminded him of Eddie's; kind of puppy dog-like. "H-Hi, Noelle!" Richie made sure to keep his smile loose and gentle, but wasn't sure if he was succeeding. "I'm Richie." Eddie was still standing, dazed and confused, so Richie tugged on his pant-leg to get his attention. "And this is Eddie." Eddie finally began lowering himself, concentrating on the tile floor. Richie took the opportunity to talk to her. "He's really nervous. Looks like you're much braver than him."

The corners of Noelle's mouth turned up a bit at the comedian's compliment/insult.

When Richie saw the small reaction, he was sure he'd died right there. It was now his life goal to make sure this girl never looked sad ever again.

Eddie finally managed to look up at Noelle and meet her eyes for the first time. Immediately, his breath was taken as he saw her eyes. It was difficult to describe, but looking at her made him feel more strong and reckless than he'd ever felt before.

He would protect this girl with his life.

"H-Hi, Noelle! I'm Eddie." He noticed the rabbit she was clutching. "Does your bunny have a name?"

Noelle looked down and barely audible whispered, "Toto."

Richie grew wide-eyed. "L-Like the ba-"

Eddie quickly cut him off, knowing Richie thought she was talking about the band. "Like Dorothy's dog in The Wizard of Oz."

Noelle looked up at Eddie, her eyes sparkling. "Y-Yes."

Richie laughed internally at the fact he thought Noelle meant Toto, the band. "Do you like that movie?"

She looked to Richie and nodded.

"Well, we'll have to watch it sometime! I think it's on Netflix." Richie smiled, relieved things weren't going terrible.

Michelle was at Larry's desk, discussing final paperwork. Eddie was so relieved someone else was in charge of all the documents. After his divorce, he never wanted to see official paperwork ever again.

Noelle looked between the husbands, slight confusion obvious on her face. "Mommy?"

Eddie and Richie's eyes went wide as they looked at each other then back at Noelle.

This was awkward.

Eddie cleared his throat and tried to put on an excited smile. "There's no mommy but," He looked at Richie and smiled. "there are two daddies."

Noelle's eyebrows furrowed as she quickly looked from Richie to Eddie. "B-But...boys can't marry."

Richie decided to chime in. This was extremely important to get out of the way. "Boys can get married." He held Eddie's hand and squeezed. "As long as two people love each other very much, they can get married."

Noelle had begun nodding slowly, looking as though something was clicking. "Love?"

Eddie felt like he was melting, but in a good way. It was like his hand and Richie's had become one and could never separate, and he was more than okay with that. "We're so, SO in love."

Richie wanted to choke hearing those words come from Eddie. This was Edward Kaspbrak; a man who kept his feelings to himself and rarely opened up. Now, being around this little girl, he was turning into a sap and pouring out love. Richie bit the inside of his cheek, praying he could hold back tears.

Noelle looked down, thinking hard about something. She pursed her lips as she peeked at their connected hands. She definitely felt a little disappointed. Who would do her hair? Who would cook dinner? Who would play dolls with her?

I guess it's fine. As long as she can watch The Wizard of Oz.

"Both called Daddy?"

Richie an Eddie were at a loss. They hadn't thought about that.

Eddie quickly piped up with an idea, "How about you call me Daddy, and you call him Papa?"

Richie shot a look at Eddie. If they weren't with Noelle, he would've probably said something along the lines of:

"That's a dumb fucking idea. Neither of us are even Spanish! How about just plain 'Dad?'"

Instead, he said:

"Mm hmm...That's a great idea!"

This kid was already changing Trashmouth Tozier for the better.

She looked at Eddie. "Daddy..." She slowly turned to Richie. "Papa..." It seemed as though she was testing out the words.

The words slapped the husbands.

Holy shit.

They were fathers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter after this! 
> 
> And I can't believe you're still reading like I wanna cry. 
> 
> Twitter is @tegiebear and I'm really excited for the new Animal Crossing.


End file.
